Pal Dynasty Quiz

Q.1.- Who is the founder of Vikramshila University? 

(A) Chandragupta II

(B) Harshavardhana

(C) Samudragupta

(D) Dharampala

Q.2. - Which Pala ruler is said to have granted 5 villages for the upkeep of a Buddhist monastery commissioned by Balaputradeva, the king of Sumatra and Java, at Nalanda.

(A) Gopala 

(B) Dharampala 

(C) Devapala 

(D) Mahipala 

Q.3. - Which Pala ruler was elected by the public? 

(A) Gopala 

(B) Devapala 

(C) Narayanapala

(D) Mahendrapala 

Q.4. - Which region of India was ruled by the Pala Dynasty?

(A) Karnataka

(B) Madhya Pradesh 

(C) Maharashtra

(D) Bihar and Bengal

Q.5. Somapura Mahavihara, built by Pala ruler Dharampala, is located in which country?

(A) Bangladesh

(B) Mayanmar

(C) Pakistan

(D) India

Answers

1- (D) 

Pala ruler Dharampala (r. 770- c.810) had built the famous monastery of Vikramshila (in the Bhagalpur district of Bihar).  

2- (C) 

Devapala (ruled from 815 to 855 AD.), the most powerful Pala ruler, was in diplomatic contact with the Sailendra kings of Sumatra. He is said to have granted 5 villages, as requested by Balaputradeva, the king of Sumatra and Java, for the upkeep of a Buddhist monastery commissioned by the latter at Nalanda. His reign may be dated from 815 to 855 AD.

3- (A)

The first king of Pala dynasty was Gopala who was chosen (grahita) as king by the people. 

There are instances when rulers were chosen by the people, ministers and nobles in ancient India. Harsha was invited by the nobles of Kannauj to assume the throne when Grahavarman died childless. 

The appointment of the boy Nandivarman (735-797) as the Pallava ruler of Kanchi by an assembly of nobles and ministers is another case in point.  

He was chosen by an assembly of nobles and ministers to ascend the throne as the previous Pallava monarch Paramesvaravarman II died issueless. 

4- (D) 

Pala dynasty ruled regions of Bengal and Bihar for about four centuries from the middle of the 8th century until the end of the 12th century.

5.- (A) 

Now in the Naogaon district of Bangladesh, Somapura Mahavihara is one of the famous Buddhist monasteries in ancient India. Located at the Paharpur archaeological site in the Naogaon district of Bangladesh, Somapura Mahavihara was built by the second Pala ruler Dharmapala (r. 770- c.810). The Pala rulers were great patrons of Buddhism and built several monasteries.